Investment licensing should be completed within hours says Indonesian President

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: President of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) called for completing matters pertaining to investment licensing within hours and not months as was currently occurring.

“Check again regarding the ease of licensing, check again, because in practice, we are still taking a long time. We are still in the 260-day figure. We are still taking a long time. The calculation should be if there is a permit, in this digital age, it should be hours, not months,” the president emphasized.

President Widodo made the statement in his directives during the 2023 National Working Meeting of the Association of Indonesian Provincial Governments (APPSI) in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, Thursday, as monitored online from Jakarta.

The president spoke of having repeatedly cautioned about the investment climate. According to Widodo, investment is the key to economic growth for all countries.

“Right now, the most important aspect is how the investment comes in. All countries are fighting over what is called investment, no country is (not fighting over it), all are fighting over investment,” he pointed out.

He urged the governors to check the ease of licensing process in their respective regions.

The president is keen to ensure that new investment permits should not come out after months. He believes that through digitalization, investment licensing should be made easier and faster.

“At the latest, yes (a matter of) days, hours if possible. How does digitization in permits exist in all provinces, regencies, and cities,” he stated.